Browns Daily Wrap: Tough Dec. Start

On a Therapy Monday edition of “Cleveland Browns Daily, Driven by Liberty Ford,” co-hosts Vic Carucci and Nathan Zegura were less than impressed with yesterday’s overall performance and pessimistic about the quarterback situation.

Tom Withers, from the Associated Press, and Doug Dieken, from the PNC Bank Cleveland Browns Radio Network, joined Vic and Nathan for the Roundtable discussion and took a look back at the loss, which came despite a record-breaking performance by Josh Gordon. Vic sat down with coach Rob Chudzinski as he reflected on the game and the quarterback situation, which seems to be deteriorating each week.

Jamir Howerton, from ClevelandBrowns.com, spoke with cornerback Joe Haden, who holds himself accountable for allowing the game-winning touchdown against the Browns and is sick and tired of losing. Je’Rod Cherry wrapped up the show by reiterating the fact that once the majority of the team shares the passion that Joe Haden has is when things will start to turn around.

Here are some highlights:

Vic Carucci: “Nothing says ‘bad football’ like a team that continually finds ways to lose and is unable to execute. This sucks and it isn’t the way it should be for this organization, and it is something that the fan base shouldn’t have to endure. I can’t even make the case that we have something to believe in right now; games like yesterday just suck the hope out of you. I’ve witnessed a lot of crazy things happen in the NFL, but the craziest has got to be the Browns’ quarterback situation. (Potentially) six different starting quarterbacks in 13 games, four of which are different names, that’s unreal. I think Rob Chudzinski has been dealt a pretty bad hand for his first year as head coach. No one said it was going to be fair, and I applaud his aggressiveness, but there are times where he needs to rein that in. With these next four games, I want to see a win. I can’t stand losing, it’s beyond awful and it’s painful.”

Nathan Zegura: “What is so difficult about this loss is that the Browns wasted such a historic day by Josh Gordon. He is the only receiver in the history of the NFL to have back-to-back 200 plus yards receiving, and it just went wasted. Ultimately, I believe in this front-office group. They made two very smart decisions by trading Trent Richardson and not trading Josh Gordon, but right now they need to find people who will execute in the most critical moments and not turn the ball over. It’s the lack of attention and not taking care of the football that has unraveled this team. Their inability to take care of the ball and handle the fine details is the reason why we are where we are right now. …In these last four games, I want to see more press coverage, especially from Haden, in those critical moments.”

Tom Withers: “It is incredible that this team was talking about the playoffs three weeks ago, and to now have two concussed quarterbacks. It doesn’t seem real. The Jaguars have the lowest-ranked offense in the league and our defense couldn’t stop them on an 80-yard drive. With four minutes left, we thought that (Brandon) Weeden was going to come up with one of the most stunning plays we have seen in 15 years and then the defense allows that final drive. The coaching staff was way too aggressive considering where Weeden is at, mentally and physically. I have to give Rob credit, though. He is being true to what he has told this team from day one, and that is that they will be an aggressive team. For these next four games, I need to see the defense create the turnovers and put pressure on the quarterback. They just aren’t doing that enough.”

Doug Dieken: “I thought Brandon played some of his best ball yesterday. It was obviously a very disappointing loss, but it seems to be same scenario week after week. You can’t win if you turn the ball over. It’s not the attitude of the team that is the problem; it’s the ability to find the way not to lose the game that’s the issue. You know guys aren’t here to just collect a paycheck, and I think Joe Haden has made that obvious, these guys want to win. But right now, there is only one guy stepping up offensively, and that’s Josh Gordon. The other guys have to step up and be the buyout for the quarterback. In these last few games, I want to see the team grow and I want to see how they bounce back from what has been a disappointing few weeks.”

Rob Chudzinski: “I think the fact that Joe (Haden) is frustrated and upset is a good thing. That says a lot about him. He cares an awful lot about the team and he wants to win. We have to make sure that we take this energy and frustration that the guys share and funnel it in a way that makes the guys get better and work to get better. It’s not a mystery why we lost. We aren’t cursed and it’s not a matter of bad luck. There are tangible reasons, and that is encouraging. We know what we need to do to fix the situation. I know there is light at the end of the tunnel, but sometimes it takes walking around in the dark to find it. I see the foundation being laid out for success, but it’s a matter of those results showing. I think we are starting to see that in Josh and I think that will build throughout the entire team.”

Joe Haden: “I still feel the same way as I did yesterday. I was upset about the play that I had at the end of the game. I hold myself at a higher level and I feel like I should have made that play. Just coming up short all the time for the last four years, it sucks and I just had to let people know that it hurts to lose. I want to be the best there is. I don’t want to get used to losing and until something changes, there is really nothing else to say to the media. We need to get better, what else am I going to say?”

Je'Rod Cherry: “I am not shocked that the Browns lost this game. I go back to the Bengals game, and that spoke volumes to me that they just aren’t willing to do what it takes to win. They aren’t willing to make that sacrifice. I know we want to sing the sad song, but Joe Haden’s reaction is exactly what you want to have. You want guys to flat-out say they are sick and tired of losing. When collectively as a team you get disgusted by losing, that is when things will start to turn around.”